Graffiti just got more compact, thanks to Processing, QR codes, and media artist Golan Levin and his pals.
For the uninitiated, QR codes are those pixelated-looking little squares you sometimes see on business cards and posters. Scan ‘em with a smartphone and they reveal a message or send you to a Web site or map. Thanks to QR Stenciler, you may be seeing more of them in unlikely places.
(Via Bruce Sterling)
QR_STENCILER Version: 01 August, 2011 http://fffff.at/qr-stenciler-and-qr-hobo-codes/ By Golan Levin and Asa Foster III for FFFFF.ATDeveloped with Processing v.0198, a free, cross- platform Java programming toolkit for the arts. http://www.processing.org
ABOUT This free program loads a user-specified QR code image, from which it generates a topologically correct stencil PDF, suitable for laser-cutting.
INSTRUCTIONS >> QR_STENCILER has been tested in MacOSX 10.6.8. 1. Make a QR code image which embeds a short text. Try GoQR.me, Kaywa, or the Google Chart API. 2. Download and install ‘Processing’ from http://www.processing.org/download We used v.0198 but v.1.5.1 seems OK too. 3. Unzip ‘QR_STENCILER.zip’ to a folder. 4. Put your QR code image in ‘QR_STENCILER/data/’ 5. Launch Processing and open ‘QR_STENCILER.pde’ 6. Press ‘Run’ (Command-R) to start the stenciler. 7. You will be prompted to Open your QR code image. A default will be opened if none is provided. 8. After doing so, the program will generate a stencil PDF in the ‘data’ folder. 9. That PDF can now be opened in your favorite CAD software, for laser-cutting cardboard, etc. 10.After marking your stencil, test it with a QR reader, such as TapMedia’s free iPhone app.
LICENSE
QR_STENCILER shall be used for Good, not Evil….
I just remembered someone bringing up geocaching in one of my New Media classes and I thought that this could turn into something like that. A national code hunt that would bring you around to special landmarks or something that was kind of unusual and there would be these kinds of stencils stamped somewhere. As long as you can make these sort of codes say what you wanted on QR_Stenciler maybe you could just give them a webpage to go to which gave you clues to the next spot. Obviously you would need a smartphone or something to scan these stencils though.